Last Updated on October 10, 2026 by Michelle

Some days call for pumpkin chai concentrate.

You know, those fall days that you want to savor but, let’s face it, you’re busy.

Skip the junky ingredients and make this easy from scratch recipe now so you have it tomorrow when you need it.

Zero weird ingredients. Zero refined sugar. Zero fake flavorings.

Just real chai, real pumpkin, and real delicious chai latte. On hand. At all times.

I love having a quart or half gallon of this on hand for whenever the pumpkin chai latte craving hits.

It also makes it super easy to treat a friend to a delicious homemade pumpkin chai latte if they stop over unannounced (the best kind of friend, btw… you know who you are 😉). Just mix concentrate + milk, and boom, you have a chai latte in your hand.

What you’ll love about this from scratch pumpkin chai concentrate:

It’s completely from scratch. Real pumpkin, real spices, real chai.
It’s so quick and easy to make. Plus, once you have this concentrate in your fridge, it takes 20 seconds flat (okay, well, I haven’t actually timed it…) to have a from-scratch pumpkin chai latte. No thanks, Starbucks, I’ll keep my $7, thank you!
It tastes like REAL pumpkin because it’s made with real pumpkin. No weird aftertastes, chemical flavors, or fake stuff.
You can control the ingredients. Like a spicier chai? Cool, add more black pepper. Like it sweeter? Cool, add more sweetener.

Is pumpkin chai made with real pumpkin?

Sadly, most chai lattes available at cafes or coffee shops aren’t even made with real chai, let alone real pumpkin. Many coffee shops rely on chai concentrates made from “natural flavors” rather than real spices, and fake pumpkin syrups for their pumpkin flavor. If you want to know more about why “natural flavors” aren’t as good as they sound, you’ll love listening to episode 131 of the Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast. Or watch episode 234 here or below:

Also… did you know an average coffee shop pumpkin chai latte has around 30-40 grams of added sugar ? (50 grams is the maximum daily amount most of us should have.)

Not around here.

This pumpkin chai is made with real pumpkin puree, real tea and spices, and real pumpkin pie spice for that extra level of pumpkin flavor. And we’re using real, unrefined sweeteners instead of 40 grams of high fructose corn syrup.

How to add pumpkin to a chai latte

If you like having chai concentrate on hand for making quick and easy chai lattes whenever the mood strikes, the easiest way to add pumpkin to your chai latte is to add pumpkin to your homemade chai concentrate. I like to simply add pumpkin pure (and extra pumpkin pie spice on top of the chai spices!) to my concentrate as it boils to really pull out the pumpkin flavor.

You could also make a pumpkin syrup to add to your normal chai latte.

Can you use canned pumpkin to make pumpkin chai concentrate?

Canned pumpkin is a great option for making pumpkin chai concentrate. You can have cans on hand for whenever the mood strikes. (If it isn’t pumpkin chai, it’s pumpkin muffins or pumpkin pancakes.) I have a dozen or so quart jars of freeze dried pumpkin powder that I reach for to make this recipe. Ever since I took the plunge and invested in a freeze dryer I’ve never regretted it, especially when I’m making this concentrate.

Just make sure you grab pumpkin pure, not pumpkin pie filling.

What you need to make pumpkin chai concentrate from scratch

The first ingredient in pumpkin chai concentrate is chai tea. If you’re making your loose leaf chai tea from scratch, find my homemade masala chai tea blend here. If you prefer to purchase a pre-made chai tea blend, this one is my favorite, or this one (code “soulyrested” saves on both).

Loose leaf masala chai tea (I like to make my own blend)

Pumpkin puree

Pumpkin pie spice

Sweetener, if desired (I love using maple syrup or coconut sugar)

Vanilla bean paste (optional)

How should I sweeten pumpkin chai concentrate?

My preference is to leave my chai concentrate unsweetened, then add maple syrup or coconut sugar when I make my latte. This allows me to customize each latte, and it also helps the concentrate stay fresher for longer in the fridge.

If you prefer to have your concentrate already sweetened and ready to go, that’s an option. To sweeten an entire batch of chai concentrate, I add 1/2 cup maple syrup for a quart’s worth of concentrate.

Add the sweetener after you strain the tea and pumpkin out.

Some great options for sweetening your pumpkin chai concentrate are:

Maple syrup (adds even more fall flavor)
Coconut sugar (gives a slightly caramel-y flavor)
Brown sugar (pairs so well with chai spices)
Cane sugar (simple and gets the job done)
Honey (makes it even sweeter)
Date syrup (lends a caramel note)

How to make a chai latte with pumpkin chai concentrate

Once your concentrate is made, your chai latte is almost ready to enjoy.

Keep in mind, I store my concentrate unsweetened–see recipe notes.

Make your pumpkin chai latte by combining a 50/50 ratio of pumpkin chai concentrate to milk. Feel free to use any milk you like such as almond milk or oat milk. I prefer whole milk for the creamiest pumpkin chai.
Add ice for an iced chai latte, or add the milk + concentrate to a sauce pan and heat for a hot chai latte.
Add sweetener of choice. I personally choose to add a generous splash of maple syrup.
Enjoy your homemade pumpkin chai latte made with REAL pumpkin, REAL tea, and REAL spices.

How to make pumpkin chai concentrate at home

If you love a cozy pumpkin chai latte, you need this concentrate on hand all fall.

Whenever you’re craving a latte, you’ll have one in-hand in 30 seconds flat. It’s awesome.

Making pumpkin chai concentrate at home is simple.

-> Add all ingredients to a saucepan.

-> Simmer everything together.

-> Strain all the chunks out (tea and pumpkin)

-> Store for later or make a latte.

That’s it!!

Modifications/substitutions for pumpkin chai concentrate

Obviously my favorite way to make pumpkin chai is as-written. But here are a few ways you can easily modify this recipe to suit your needs.

Dairy-free pumpkin chai latte

Simply swap the whole milk for your favorite non-dairy milk. Oat milk is probably the best option for a deliciously creamy chai, but almond milk would have a similar result.

Sugar free pumpkin chai latte

If you’re avoiding sugar, feel free to leave it out all together. Other options are using stevia to sweeten, allulose, or any sugar-free sweetener.

Using bagged chai tea

If you really don’t want to use loose leaf tea (I highly recommend loose leaf for better flavor!), substitute 10-12 tea bags for the loose leaf tea called for in the recipe.

How to make a dirty pumpkin chai latte

What’s better than pumpkin + chai + coffee? I’ll wait…

Since a dirty chai is simply a chai latte with espresso added, it’s easy to make.

Simply make the concentrate as listed, and make your chai latte as usual. Then brew 1-2 shot of espresso (your preference) and add to your chai latte.

Boom. A homemade from scratch dirty pumpkin chai latte.

Making your pumpkin chai latte taste more like Starbucks

If you love Starbuck’s pumpkin chai latte in the fall, I don’t blame you. It’s pretty freakin delicious.

But it also comes with a whopping 55-60 grams of sugar.

Not to mention it’s not made with real pumpkin.

If you want your pumpkin chai latte to taste more like Starbucks, add more sugar. If we’re going to compete with a 60 grams of sugar, we’re going to need to a lot of sweetener. Obviously homemade is still much more affordable and much better for you, even if you do add the extra dose of sugar for a Starbucks-like vibe.

Also, to mimic a Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai latte, add homemade pumpkin cold foam. (Read on, my friend.)

Pumpkin Cold Foam recipe (for iced pumpkin cream chai latte)

3 tbs heavy cream
splash maple syrup
sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
heaping teaspoon pumpkin puree

Froth those things together until thickened, but still pourable. Enjoy over an iced pumpkin chai latte. (Or any drink–it’s crazy good on an iced latte too!)

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